reference unpublished paper apa

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

How to Cite an Unpublished Paper or Manuscript in APA Referencing

3-minute read

• 23rd June 2020

Did you know that you can cite unpublished works, such as in-progress research papers or manuscripts, in an essay? Well, you can! The key is citing them correctly. And in this post, we will look at how to cite an unpublished paper or manuscript in APA referencing .

How to Cite an Unpublished Paper in APA referencing

In APA referencing, you can cite an unpublished work in the same way as you would a published one. This means giving an author’s name and a date in brackets . The only difference is that you give a year of production (i.e., when the paper was written) rather than a year of publication:

Few fully understand the publication process (Clarke, 2020).

Like other sources, if you name the author in the text, you do not need to repeat it in the brackets. And if you quote an unpublished paper, you should give page numbers. For example:

According to Clarke (2020), publication “is a complex process” (p. 20).

When a paper has been accepted for publication but not yet published, however, you should use the term “in press” in place of a year in citations:

Few fully understand the publication process (Clarke, in press).

How to Reference an Unpublished Work in APA Referencing

When adding an unpublished paper to an APA reference list , the correct format will depend on where it is in the publication process. But let’s start with works that will not be published at all (e.g., a paper that the author never submitted or that the publisher rejected).

In this case, the correct format is:

Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year of Production). Title of manuscript [Unpublished manuscript]. Department, University Name.

So, in practice, we could cite an unpublished paper like this:

Clarke, J. (2020). The publication process explained [Unpublished manuscript]. School of Journalism, Media and Performance, University of Central Lancashire.

Referencing a Work Submitted for Publication

If a paper has been submitted for publication but not yet accepted, the reference should state “manuscript submitted for publication.” However, you should not include any other information about the submission, such as where it was submitted, as this information could go out of date quickly.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

The correct format in this case is therefore:

Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year of Production). Title of manuscript [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department, University Name.

For example, we would list the paper above as follows:

Clarke, J. (2020). The publication process explained [Manuscript submitted for publication]. School of Journalism, Media and Performance, University of Central Lancashire.

Referencing a Paper in Press

If a paper has been accepted for publication, use the following format:

Author Surname, Initial(s). (in press). Title. Periodical or Journal Title .

As you can see, we now include both:

• The phrase “in press” to show that the paper has been accepted by the journal and is now awaiting publication.
• The title of the journal that accepted it (note, too, that we only use italics for the journal title here, not the title of the paper itself).

In practice, then, we would reference a paper awaiting publication like this:

Clarke, J. (in press). The publication process explained, Publishing Research Quarterly .

It is always worth checking the status of submitted papers before finalizing your reference list, too, as they can go from “submitted for publication” to “in press” quite suddenly, leaving your reference out of date.

Hopefully, you will now be able to cite an unpublished paper or manuscript correctly. But if you would like any further help with your writing, why not submit a document for proofreading ?

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

4-minute read

The Benefits of Using an Online Proofreading Service

Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...

2-minute read

6 Online AI Presentation Maker Tools

Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...

What Is Market Research?

No matter your industry, conducting market research helps you keep up to date with shifting...

8 Press Release Distribution Services for Your Business

In a world where you need to stand out, press releases are key to being...

How to Get a Patent

In the United States, the US Patent and Trademarks Office issues patents. In the United...

The 5 Best Ecommerce Website Design Tools 

A visually appealing and user-friendly website is essential for success in today’s competitive ecommerce landscape....

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

APA Referencing - Education & CCSC students: Unpublished or informally published work

• Abbreviations
• Journal article
• Quotes & citations
• Reference lists
• Referencing questions
• Audiovisual works
• Brochure or pamphlet
• Conference paper
• Dictionary/Encyclopedia
• Government publication
• Gray literature
• Group author
• Interviews/Research data
• Lecture notes/Tutorial material
• Newspaper/Magazine
• Personal communication
• Self-referencing
• Software app
• Figures & tables

Unpublished or informally published work

How to reference an unpublished or informally published work.

As with all referencing in academic writing, referencing is a matter of establishing the authority of the source or information you are relying upon as evidence to support the claims you make in your writing. This is the reason for peer review as it is a process that establishes the authority of a work through expert checking. Peer-reviewed published works are accepted as having greater authority than works that are not peer reviewed. Sometimes, however, the most useful research article might not be available as a peer-reviewed published article but it is available to us in an unpublished form. Use other peer-reviewed articles if possible but if there is a lack of published research reports and, for example, a pre-press version is available directly from the author, you may use it. Check whether the article has been published before submitting your final assignment or thesis and, if it has, reference the final version, taking into account any changes that the editors may have required in the peer-review process.

Unpublished and informally published works include:

• work in progress
• work submitted for publication
• work prepared for publication but not submitted

a university website

An electronic archive such as academia.edu or researchgate.

• the author's personal website

In-text citation

Reference list

Author, A. A. (Year).  Title of manuscript.  Unpublished manuscript [or "manuscript submitted for publication," or "Manuscript in preparation"].

If the unpublished manuscript is from a university, give this information at the end.

If you locate the work on an electronic archive, give this information at the end.

If a URL is available, give it at the end. 

If you use a pre-print version of an article that is later published, reference the published version.

• << Previous: Figures & tables
• Last Updated: Mar 12, 2024 7:56 PM
• URL: https://morlingcollege.libguides.com/apareferencing

APA 7th Edition Style Guide: Unpublished Manuscripts/Informal Publications (i.e. course packets and dissertations)

• About In-text Citations
• In-Text Examples
• What to Include
• Volume/Issue
• Bracketed Descriptions
• URLs and DOIs
• Book with Editor(s)
• Book with No Author
• Book with Organization as Author
• Book with Personal Author(s)
• Chapters and Parts of Books
• Classical Works
• Course Materials
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Multi-Volume Works
• Newspaper Article
• Patents & Laws
• Personal Communication
• Physicians' Desk Reference
• Social Media

Unpublished Manuscripts/Informal Publications (i.e. course packets and dissertations)

• Formatting Your Paper
• Formatting Your References
• Annotated Bibliography
• Headings in APA
• APA Quick Guide
• NEW!* Submit your Paper for APA Review

Formatting your References

Once you type your references on the reference page, you will need to put in a hanging indent and double-space the entire reference list. In Microsoft Word, highlight the references from A to Z, then find the paragraph function in the Word ribbon. Select Hanging under Indentation and Double under spacing. See the Formatting your References tab for instructions on doing this on a Mac or in Google Docs.

Abbas, D. D. F. (2020). Manipulating of audio-visual aids in the educational processes in Al-Hilla University College. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24 (3), 1248-1263. https://doi.org.db12.linccweb.org/10.37200/ijpr/v24i3/pr200875

• << Previous: Social Media
• Next: Websites >>
• Last Updated: Feb 13, 2024 6:21 PM
• URL: https://irsc.libguides.com/APA

ACAP LEARNING RESOURCES

Reference in APA 7

• Printable Guides & Sample Papers
• Headings & Page Order
• ACAP Presentation Requirements This link opens in a new window
• APA Style Guidelines, Blog & Socials
• Paraphrasing
• Time Stamps, Verbatim, Transcripts & Personal Comms
• Secondary Sources
• Tables & Figures
• Missing, Same, Repeated, Multiples, Parts & Abbreviations
• Reference List Elements
• Formatting the Reference List
• DOIs, URLs & Hyperlinks
• Missing Information
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Edited, Republished & Translated Books
• Reference Works
• Diagnostic Manuals (DSM & ICD)
• Religious & Ancient Works
• Newspaper Articles
• Conferences & Theses
• Reports, Policies & Grey Literature
• YouTube & Other Streaming
• Podcasts, TV & Radio
• Transcripts
• Artwork & Images
• Social Media
• Legislation
• Standards & Patents
• Unpublished Works
• Statistics, Tests & Data Sets
• Generative Artificial Intelligence

Reference Elements: Unpublished & Informally Published Material

Author, a. a., & author, b. b. (year). title of work in italics [description of unpublished manuscript]. department name, university name. https://xxxxxx, author, a. a., & author, b. b. (year). title of work in italics  (publication no. ###). name of database or archive. https://doi.org/xxxxxx.

Use specific manuscript descriptions, e.g. [Unpublished manuscript]. [Manuscript in preparation]. [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Always use a DOI if the resource has one. Include a URL if there isn't a DOI available and if it resolves without authentication. 

• REFERENCE LIST EXAMPLES
• IN TEXT EXAMPLES

Leemans, S. J. J. & Artem, P. (2019). Proofs with stochastic-aware conformance checking: An entropy-based approach  [Unpublished manuscript]. Faculty of Science and Technology, Queensland University of Technology.  https://eprints.qut.edu.au/129860/

Winegard, B. M., Winegard, B. M., Geary, D. C., & Clark, C. J. (2018). The status competition model of cultural production . PsyArXiv.  https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/apw5e/

Parenthetical Style

See theorem one as follows "for any log L and model M (given as SDFAs), it holds that 0 ≤ recall(L, M) ≤ 1 and 0 ≤ precision(L, M) ≤ 1" (Leemans et al., 2019, p. 2).

In this example, the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright is used for its functional and aesthetic qualities (Winegard et al., 2018).

Narrative Style

Leemans et al. (2019) proposes "for any log L and model M (given as SDFAs), it holds that 0 ≤ recall(L, M) ≤ 1 and 0 ≤ precision(L, M) ≤ 1" (p. 2).

Winegard et al. (2018) use the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright house as an example for its functional and aesthetic qualities.

• << Previous: Course Material & Unpublished
• Next: Statistics, Tests & Data Sets >>
• Last Updated: Mar 13, 2024 1:57 PM
• URL: https://libguides.navitas.com/apa7

Covid-19 Information for students and staff on Library services and facilities, opening hours and the safe use of the Library.

The University recommends the use of face coverings in busy or crowded areas.

APA Referencing: Unpublished Works

• Act of Parliament
• Apparatus or equipment
• Chapters of Edited Books
• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
• Code of ethics
• Computer software
• Conference presentations and posters
• Dictionary entry
• Dissertations
• Encylopaedia entry
• Kindle books
• Journal articles
• Generative AI
• Magazine articles
• Newspaper Articles
• Personal Communications
• Pre-print or post-print
• Psychometric tests

Unpublished Works

• Videos (Online)
• Work of art
• How should I reference confidential material?

APA Referencing

Unpublished piece of writing (book, article, etc.)

If you download an article from a web repository, such as a preprint, postprint or e-print, you should reference as an eprint. See page on referencing preprints/eprints. An article on the internet is considered to be informally published. An example of unpublished work might be a an article that you have written or been sent by the author which has not been published, or has been submitted for publication but with no decision yet.

Author(s) (Year). Title of manuscript . [Unpublished manuscript] or [Manuscript in preparation] or [Manuscript submitted for publication].

Doe, J. (2018). How to Take Over the World . [Unpublished manuscript].

The citation in your text will be:

(Doe, 2018)

or, if you have quoted directly,

(Doe, 2018, p. 16).

If you have used the author's name in your sentence then only the year of publication, with a page reference if necessary, is placed after it in brackets, eg

Doe (2018) suggests that ...

Doe (2018, p. 16) states that ...

Other Examples

Unpublished manuscript associated with university (example from the APA Manual)

Blackwell, E. & Concord, P. J. (2003). A Five-Dimensional Measure of Drinking Motives [Unpublished manuscript]. Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia.

Manuscript submitted to a journal for publication (example from the APA Manual)

Ting, J. Y., Florsheim, P. & Huang, W. (2008). Mental health help-seeking in ethnic minority populations: A theoretical perspective [Manuscript submitted for publication].

(Ting, Florsheim & Huang, 2008)

Informally published or work published by self on website, not dated

Informally-published work (e.g. on author’s website) is not unpublished, so this is not indicated in square brackets. Such work is often cited like a webpage.

Ajzen, I. (n.d.). Designing a TPB Intervention . http://people.umass.edu/aizen/tpb.html

(Ajzen, n.d.)…

• << Previous: Television
• Next: Videos (Online) >>
• Last Updated: Jan 19, 2024 10:04 AM
• URL: https://library.rgu.ac.uk/apa-referencing

• RRU Writing Centre
• WriteAnswers

Q. How do I cite an article that has not yet been published or an advanced version that was published online?

• 2 Academic Integrity
• 48 Academic writing
• 42 APA Style
• 33 APA Style: Formatting
• 109 APA Style: In-text citations
• 107 APA Style: References
• 18 Legal citations
• 16 Paraphrasing
• 10 Punctuation
• 25 Quotations
• 16 Writing Centre information
• 63 Writing Centre resources

Answered By: Theresa Bell (she/her/hers) Last Updated: Nov 04, 2021     Views: 268012

APA Style (7th ed.)

When working with online resources, it’s best to work with the final, published work (American Psychological Association [APA], 2020, p. 258), but you may find yourself using an advance online version. Cite the version you used, so if that was the advance online version, cite that work. Similarly, if you worked with a pre-print, which is “the final peer-reviewed manuscript as accepted for publication [that] might be available from a variety of places, including a personal website, an employer’s server, an institutional repository, a reference manager, or an author social network” (APA, 2020, p. 258), cite that version.

Please see the information and specific examples provided in the APA Style manual for references to advance online and in press journal articles (p. 318), unpublished manuscripts and manuscripts submitted for publication (p. 336), informally published works (p. 337), and unpublished raw data (p. 338). For general examples, see below for references to manuscripts at different stages of the publication process:

Unpublished manuscript (see p. 336)

Author, A. (year). Title of manuscript [Unpublished manuscript]. University Department, University Name.

• "Include the department and institution where the work was produced, if possible” (APA, 2020, p. 336).

Manuscript submitted for publication (see pp. 336-337)

Author, A. (year). Title of manuscript [Manuscript submitted for publication]. University Department, University Name.

• “Do not list the name of the journal to which the work was submitted. Once the manuscript has been accepted for publication, cite it as an in-press article” (APA, 2020, p. 337).
• “A manuscript submitted for publication is not available to the public. If the manuscript is available online, treat it as informally published” (APA, 2020, p. 337).
• In-text citation: (Author, year, p. X)

Journal article, in press (see p. 318)

Author, A. (in press). Title of article. Title of Journal .

• In-text citation: (Author, in press, p. X)

Journal article, advance online publication (see p. 318)

Author, A., & Author, B. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/xxx

• In-text citation: (Author & Author, year, p. X)

Informally published work from a preprint archive or institutional repository (see p. 337)

Author, A. (year). Title of article. Publisher. URL

Unpublished raw data (see p. 338)

Author, A. (year). [Unpublished raw data on description of data]. University Name.

Author, A. (year). Title of data set [Unpublished raw data].

American Psychological Association. (2020).  Publication manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

• Share on Facebook

Was this helpful? Yes 3 No 0

TAFT COLLEGE

APA Style Guide, 7th Edition: Unpublished Manuscripts/Informal Publications (i.e. course packets and dissertations)

• Updated About In-text Citations
• Updated In-Text Examples
• What to Include
• Volume/Issue
• Bracketed Descriptions
• URLs and DOIs
• Book with Editor(s)
• Book with No Author
• Book with Organization as Author
• Book with Personal Author(s)
• Chapters and Parts of Books
• Classical Works
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Multi-Volume Works
• Newspaper Article
• Patents & Laws
• Personal Communication
• Physicians' Desk Reference
• Social Media
• Unpublished Manuscripts/Informal Publications (i.e. course packets and dissertations)
• Formatting Your Paper
• Formatting Your References
• Headings in APA
• Annotated Bibliography

Formatting your References

Once you type your references on the reference page, you will need to put in a hanging indent and double-space the entire reference list. In Microsoft Word, highlight the references from A to Z, then find the paragraph function in the Word ribbon. Select Hanging under Indentation and Double under spacing. See the Formatting your References tab for instructions on doing this on a Mac or in Google Docs.

Abbas, D. D. F. (2020). Manipulating of audio-visual aids in the educational processes in Al-Hilla University College. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24 (3), 1248-1263. https://doi.org.db12.linccweb.org/10.37200/ijpr/v24i3/pr200875

The citation above may not indicate a hanging indent depending on the device you are using to view it.  The second and all subsequent lines of APA formatted references use a hanging indent.

• << Previous: Social Media
• Next: Websites >>
• Last Updated: Sep 18, 2023 10:52 AM
• URL: https://lib.taftcollege.edu/c.php?g=1060143

APA Citation Style

• Web Sources
• Unpublished Sources
• Sound and Video Recordings
• Chicago Notes & Bibliography

Scrivner, E. M. (1996). Role of police psychology in controlling excessive force in 50 large cities in the United States, 1992 [Data file and codebook]. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR06402.v1

Doctoral Dissertations

Lastname, F. M. (year). Title of doctoral dissertation (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Name of Database. (Accession or Order No.)

Boucher, H. C. (2005). Culture and implicit self-concept inconsistency (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global database. (UMI No. 3210518). 

The order number is listed under "Dissertation/thesis number" in ProQuest Dissertations . If you found the dissertation elsewhere online, for example an institutional web site, you can use the URL instead of an order number.

Unpublished interviews are considered personal communication and are cited in text only, not in the reference list. The in-text citation should include the interviewee's initials, surname, and exact date of interview, e.g. (C. M. Murray, personal communication, March 2, 2016), unless the interview was part of your qualitative data collection, in which case the identity of the interviewee should not be disclosed. If the interview has been archived, either as a recording or a transcript, cite it as archival material, as in the citation below.

Trafton, B. M. (1999). Trafton, Barbara McKnight oral history interview.  (M. Richard., Interviewer). Retrieved from Bates College, Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection website: http://scarab.bates.edu/muskie_oh/388

Lecture notes are considered personal communication  unless they have been publicly posted online (Lyceum doesn't count); personal communications are not recoverable by other researchers and should cited in text only, not in the reference list.

Ben-Shahar. T. Lecture 10: Mindfulness [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from Harvard University website: http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic134046.files/1504-10-mindfulness.ppt

Measurement instrument

Bavolek, S. J. (1983). Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory [Measurement instrument]. Unpublished instrument. Retrieved from http://chipts.ucla.edu/resources/?did=159.

Do not italicize the titles of software, programs, or languages. See also the APA Style Blog: How to Cite a Psychological Test in APA Style

• << Previous: Web Sources
• Next: Sound and Video Recordings >>
• Updated: Mar 17, 2022 9:11 AM
• URL: https://libguides.bates.edu/APA

APA – Citing Sources

Unpublished material.

These types of publications are manuscripts that might be submitted for publication or works in progress. In this category, you might also find manuscripts that are not formally published but are retrievable online on personal or institutional websites. If no year can be identified, use "n.d." instead (= no date).

In-text citation:

• According to a study (Blackwell & Conrod, 2003) there are . . .
• Blackwell and Conrod (2003) argue that . . .

In the reference list:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year). Title of manuscript .  [Unpublished manuscript or Manuscript submitted for publication or Manuscript in preparation]. https://xxxx

If a university or other organization can be identified:

Author, A. A., & Author, B.B. (year). Title of manuscript . [Unpublished manuscript or Manuscript submitted for publication or Manuscript in preparation], Department, University. https://xxxx

Reference example:

Blackwell, E., & Conrod, P. J. (2003). A five-dimensional measure of drinking motives . [Unpublished manuscript], Department of Psychology, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, Canada.

• << Previous: Tables and figures
• Next: Websites >>

• University Library

How do I reference an unpublished document in APA style?

For an unpublished manuscript use the following format:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day).  Title of manuscript.  Unpublished manuscript, Information of electronic archive (if available).

Blackwell, E., & Conrod, P. J. (2003).  A five-dimensional measure of drinking motives.  Unpublished manuscript, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Some unpublished documents fall into the APA category of Archival Documents and Collections (Rule 7.10). Use the following format for these types of information:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day).  Title of material.  [Description of material]. Name of Collection (Call number, Box number, File name or number, etc.). Name of Repository, Location. 

This format can be modified as needed. Include as much information as you can that will direct the reader to the information source.

Frank, L.K. (1935, February 4). [Letter to Robert M Ogden]. Rockefeller Archive Center (GEB series 1.3, Box 371, Folder 3877), Tarrytown, NY.

• FiNDit Support
• Have Your Say
• Library Announcements
• Student Wellbeing
• University FAQs
• 60 Academic support
• 25 Access issues
• 32 Blackboard
• 71 Borrowing
• 23 Copyright
• 50 Databases
• 86 Finding information
• 85 IT Services
• 46 My Library
• 26 Print/copy/scan
• 34 Reading Lists
• 190 Referencing
• 15 Refworks
• 18 Research support

Answered By: Ellen Quilty Last Updated: Nov 17, 2020     Views: 2813

Links & files.

• APA Style & Grammar Guidelines : Archival Documents and Collections
• APA Style & Grammar Guidelines : Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis References
• APA 7th Referencing Guide : Other Sources - Grey Literature
• Share on Facebook

Was this helpful? Yes 1 No 0

Comments (0)

Generate accurate APA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• How to cite a conference paper in APA Style

Citing a Conference Paper in APA Style | Format & Examples

Published on November 6, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on December 4, 2023.

The format for citing conference papers in APA Style depends on whether the paper has been published, and if so, in what format. Note that a separate format exists for citing dissertations . You can cite a conference paper easily by using our free APA Citation Generator .

To cite a paper that has been presented at a conference but not published, include the author’s name, the date of the conference, the title of the paper (italicized), “Paper presentation” in square brackets, the name and location of the conference, and a URL or DOI if available.

Cite a conference paper in APA Style now:

Table of contents, citing a conference paper published in a journal, citing a conference paper published in a book, frequently asked questions about apa style citations.

Conference papers are sometimes published in journals. To cite one of these, use the same format as you would for any journal article .

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
• Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
• Missing reference entries

Conference papers may also be collected in book form. In this case, you can cite one in the same way as you would cite a chapter from a book .

Include the DOI at the very end of the APA reference entry . If you’re using the 6th edition APA guidelines, the DOI is preceded by the label “doi:”. In the 7th edition , the DOI is preceded by ‘https://doi.org/’.

• 6th edition: doi: 10.1177/0894439316660340
• 7th edition: https://doi.org/ 10.1177/0894439316660340

APA citation example (7th edition)

Hawi, N. S., & Samaha, M. (2016). The relations among social media addiction, self-esteem, and life satisfaction in university students. Social Science Computer Review , 35 (5), 576–586. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439316660340

In an APA journal citation , if a DOI (digital object identifier) is available for an article, always include it.

If an article has no DOI, and you accessed it through a database or in print, just omit the DOI.

If an article has no DOI, and you accessed it through a website other than a database (for example, the journal’s own website), include a URL linking to the article.

The abbreviation “ et al. ” (meaning “and others”) is used to shorten APA in-text citations with three or more authors . Here’s how it works:

Only include the first author’s last name, followed by “et al.”, a comma and the year of publication, for example (Taylor et al., 2018).

You may include up to 20 authors in a reference list entry .

When an article has more than 20 authors, replace the names prior to the final listed author with an ellipsis, but do not omit the final author:

Davis, Y., Smith, J., Caulfield, F., Pullman, H., Carlisle, J., Donahue, S. D., James, F., O’Donnell, K., Singh, J., Johnson, L., Streefkerk, R., McCombes, S., Corrieri, L., Valck, X., Baldwin, F. M., Lorde, J., Wardell, K., Lao, W., Yang, P., . . . O’Brien, T. (2012).

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, December 04). Citing a Conference Paper in APA Style | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-examples/conference-paper/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to cite a dissertation in apa style, how to cite a book in apa style, how to cite a journal article in apa style, scribbr apa citation checker.

An innovative new tool that checks your APA citations with AI software. Say goodbye to inaccurate citations!

APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources

• Basics of APA Formatting
• In Text Quick View
• Block Quotes
• Books & eBooks
• Thesis/Dissertation

Standard Format

Formatting rules, various examples.

• Audiovisual
• Conference Presentations
• Social Media
• Legal References
• Reports and Gray Literature
• Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
• Additional Resources
• Reference Page

Adapted from American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed).  https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Formatting:

• Italicize the title
• Identify whether source is doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in parentheses after the title

See Ch. 10 pp. 313-352 of APA Manual for more examples and formatting rules

• << Previous: Articles
• Next: Websites >>
• Last Updated: Nov 1, 2023 3:17 PM
• URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/APA7th

• Introduction
• Formatting Your Paper
• In-Text Citations
• Books and eBooks
• Business Reports
• Conference Presentations and Publications
• Dissertations and Theses
• Government Documents, Statutes, and Court Cases
• Images and Advertisements
• Missing Information
• Multiple Authors
• Personal Communications (E-mails, Interviews, etc.)
• Previous Coursework
• Religious Works
• Secondary Source/Indirect Citation (as cited in)
• Social Media
• Video and Audio
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Get Help Now

APA 7th Edition Citation Guide Previous Coursework

How to cite yourself.

When citing a paper that you wrote for a previous class, consider yourself as the author and your previous course work as an unpublished paper. Include [Unpublished manuscript] in brackets after the title.

Reference Page Format:

Author, (year written). Title [Unpublished manuscript]. Institution.

Reference Page Example:

O’Toole, T. (2019).  An analysis of pre-WWII leaders  [Unpublished manuscript]. Concordia University, St. Paul.  

In-text Citation Examples:

According to O’Toole (2019)... ...(O’Toole, 2019). ...(O’Toole, 2019, p. 4).

Blackboard Lectures and PowerPoints

Sources on Blackboard, such as recorded lectures and PowerPoints, are not available to people outside of your institution. If the audience of your paper is your professor and/or classmates who have access to the content, use the following examples.

If your audience is not enrolled in your course or part of your institution and therefore does not have access to the content, cite the content as a Personal Communication .

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title [Format]. Blackboard@CSP.  https://csp.blackboard.com/

Neilson, J. (2022, September 1).  What the library can do for you  [PowerPoint Slides]. Blackboard@CSP.  https://csp.blackboard.com/

According to Neilson (2022)... ...(Neilson, 2022).

• << Previous: Personal Communications (E-mails, Interviews, etc.)
• Next: Religious Works >>
• Last Updated: Jan 23, 2024 8:28 AM
• URL: https://library.csp.edu/apa

• Find Resources

Library and Academic Support Services Concordia University, St. Paul 1282 Concordia Aveneu Saint Paul, MN 55104

• 651-641-823
• [email protected]
• Report a problem

Connect with us

© Concordia University, St. Paul

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

In-Text Citations

Resources on using in-text citations in APA style

Reference List

Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats

Other APA Resources

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

How to Cite an Unpublished Paper or Manuscript in APA Referencing

3-minute read

• 23rd June 2020

Did you know that you can cite unpublished works, such as in-progress research papers or manuscripts, in an essay? Well, you can! The key is citing them correctly. And in this post, we will look at how to cite an unpublished paper or manuscript in APA referencing .

How to Cite an Unpublished Paper in APA referencing

In APA referencing, you can cite an unpublished work in the same way as you would a published one. This means giving an author’s name and a date in brackets . The only difference is that you give a year of production (i.e. when the paper was written) rather than a year of publication:

Few fully understand the publication process (Clarke, 2020).

Like other sources, if you name the author in the text, you do not need to repeat it in the brackets. And if you quote an unpublished paper, you should give page numbers. For example:

According to Clarke (2020), publication ‘is a complex process’ (p. 20).

When a paper has been accepted for publication but not yet published, however, you should use the term ‘in press’ in place of a year in citations:

Few fully understand the publication process (Clarke, in press).

How to Reference an Unpublished Work in APA Referencing

When adding an unpublished paper to an APA reference list , the correct format will depend on where it is in the publication process. But let’s start with works that will not be published at all (e.g. a paper that the author never submitted or that the publisher rejected).

In this case, the correct format is:

Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year of Production). Title of manuscript [Unpublished manuscript]. Department, University Name.

So, in practice, we could cite an unpublished paper like this:

Clarke, J. (2020). The publication process explained [Unpublished manuscript]. School of Journalism, Media and Performance, University of Central Lancashire.

Referencing a Work Submitted for Publication

If a paper has been submitted for publication but not yet accepted, the reference should state ‘manuscript submitted for publication’. However, you should not include any other information about the submission, such as where it was submitted, as this information could go out of date quickly.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

The correct format in this case is therefore:

Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year of Production). Title of manuscript [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department, University Name.

For example, we would list the paper above as follows:

Clarke, J. (2020). The publication process explained [Manuscript submitted for publication]. School of Journalism, Media and Performance, University of Central Lancashire.

Referencing a Paper in Press

If a paper has been accepted for publication, use the following format:

Author Surname, Initial(s). (in press). Title. Periodical or Journal Title .

As you can see, we now include both:

• The phrase ‘in press’ to show that the paper has been accepted by the journal and is now awaiting publication.
• The title of the journal that accepted it (note, too, that we only use italics for the journal title here, not the title of the paper itself).

In practice, then, we would reference a paper awaiting publication like this:

Clarke, J. (in press). The publication process explained, Publishing Research Quarterly .

It is always worth checking the status of submitted papers before finalising your reference list, too, as they can go from ‘submitted for publication’ to ‘in press’ quite suddenly, leaving your reference out of date.

Hopefully, you will now be able to cite an unpublished paper or manuscript correctly. But if you would like any further help with your writing, why not submit a document for proofreading ?

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Get help from a language expert. Try our proofreading services for free.

4-minute read

The Benefits of Using an Online Proofreading Service

Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...

2-minute read

6 Online AI Presentation Maker Tools

Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...

What Is Market Research?

No matter your industry, conducting market research helps you keep up to date with shifting...

8 Press Release Distribution Services for Your Business

In a world where you need to stand out, press releases are key to being...

How to Get a Patent

In the United States, the US Patent and Trademarks Office issues patents. In the United...

The 5 Best Ecommerce Website Design Tools 

A visually appealing and user-friendly website is essential for success in today’s competitive ecommerce landscape....

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

• How to use this guide
• Paraphrases and quotations
• Types of in-text citations
• Multiple sources
• Unknown or anonymous authors
• A company, organisation, or government body as the author
• Legal cases or court decisions
• Audio-visual media
• Formatting guidelines
• DOIs and URLs
• Order of entries
• Secondary sources
• Single author
• Two authors
• Three to twenty authors
• Twenty-one or more authors
• Article published in a future online publication (in press)
• Article from Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews
• No pagination
• Three or more authors
• Different edition
• Chapter in an edited book
• Multiple works published in different years by the same author
• Multiple works published in the same year by the same author
• Authored book with editor credited on the front cover
• Encyclopaedia or dictionary
• Book with anonymous or no author
• Translated work
• Webpage or document from a website
• Social media
• Newspaper and periodical articles
• Government report
• Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report
• Parliamentary debates (Hansard)
• Parliamentary Act or Bill
• Parliamentary Act or bill
• Unpublished or raw dataset
• Industry or Non-Government Organisation (NGO) report
• Press Release
• Film or movie
• Television episode
• Online video
• Conference papers and presentations
• Podcast or vodcast
• Music scores
• Archival sources
• Course material or lecture notes
• Personal communication
• Software and Apps
• UOW APA7 Guide (PDF) This link opens in a new window
• Referencing & Citing Guide Main Page

In text citation

Paraphrase .

(Author, Year published)

Author (Year published)

(Jerome, 1995)

Roamli (2006)

Reference list

Author’s last name, Author’s initials. (Year published). Dataset title [format]. Publisher. URL or DOI

• Format is “dataset”.
• Dataset title is not italicised as it is not published.

Roamli, L. I. (2006). Wood duck population in Australia [dataset]. NSW Avian Society. www.nswaviansociety.com.au/woodduck/nsw

Jerome, O. J. (1995). Sample population of macroscopic insects in Northern Victorian farmlands [dataset]. Victorian Entomologist Society. www.vicentomologistsociety.vic.gov.au

• Previous: Dataset
• Next: Industry or Non-Government Organisation (NGO) report
• Last Updated: Feb 22, 2024 12:03 PM
• URL: https://uow.libguides.com/uow-apa7

Insert research help text here

LIBRARY RESOURCES

Library homepage

Library SEARCH

A-Z Databases

STUDY SUPPORT

Academic Skills Centre

Referencing and citing

Digital Skills Hub

MORE UOW SERVICES

UOW homepage

Student support and wellbeing

IT Services

On the lands that we study, we walk, and we live, we acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians and cultural knowledge holders of these lands.

Copyright & disclaimer | Privacy & cookie usage